NBCUniversal reportedly considering rebranding G4 as Esquire Channel

NBCUniversal is reportedly in talks with the Hearst Corporation as part of a plan to rebrand the male-focused G4 cable channel as Esquire Channel.

Sources for Deadline say that the two companies are in talks about rebranding the struggling NBCU-owned channel, which originally focused on video games. The two companies are considering renaming it after Hearst’s upscale male-targeting magazine as part of NBCU’s plan to rebrand G4 for a more sophisticated audience.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new content on the Esquire Channel will focus on food, travel and fashion with video gaming shows still on the schedule. THR’s sources say that the rebranding effort could begin as early as early 2013 and the programming is already in production.

G4 has been struggling and NBCU announced in October that both X-Play and Attack of the Show! have been cancelled. As NBCU began trimming its staff, employees for the channel were laid off.

NBCU has also began rebranding E! Network, which already has a new logo. Scripted programming is already in development for the channel, which used to exclusively cover entertainment news alongside reality shows.

Hearst is the co-owner of A&E Networks. NBCU also owned a stake in A&E until it sold its stake to Hearst and Disney in July. Hearst also has a stake in ESPN.